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Abortion & Contraception Resources

Abortion Resources

BC Women’s CARE Program provides abortions up to 24 weeks gestational age. Although women do not require a doctor’s referral to obtain an abortion at CARE, we feel that women who have a supportive health care provider are able to access the services they need without undue delay.

How You Can Help

If she requires an ultrasound prior to her abortion, you can help by requesting an ultrasound to be done in your community as soon as possible.

If you see your patient for a follow-up after she has had an abortion at CARE, please complete the CARE Program Follow-Up Form and fax to us at 604-875-3274. Your feedback will help us to continue providing excellent patient care.

Prochoice and Reproductive Health Websites

The Pregnancy Options Service

POS can assist health care professionals and community workers throughout BC to help and support women in their communities who are facing an unintended or unplanned pregnancy.

POS can provide up-to-date information about available abortion services throughout British Columbia and in the United States.

POS staff members work collaboratively with health care providers and community workers to facilitate women’s access to safe abortion care.

Please contact POS at:

1-888-875-3163 (toll-free), or 604-875-3163
Fax: 604-875-3274
Email: pos@cw.bc.ca

Some health care providers want to know how they can help women access reproductive health services such as contraception and/or abortion closer to their homes. This may involve local advocacy or participating in further training to gain skills to offer these services.

If you would like more information, please contact the POS line at 1-888-875-3163, or 604-875-3163, or email pos@cw.bc.ca. A member of our educational outreach team will contact you. Your information will be kept confidential.

Contraception - SMART Program
Research has shown that about half of women, in BC,  who have an abortion each year will have a pregnancy within two years if they do not start a contraceptive at the time of their abortion. 

Research also shows that over half of women will select a highly effective, longer-term contraceptive, such as a hormone-releasing or a copper intrauterine device (IUD), when provided free of charge and placed at the time of abortion. Less than 15% choose such methods when patients are required to pay. When an IUD is chosen, research has shown that women are more satisfied and have far fewer unintended pregnancies than with other options.

In partnership with the BC MInistry of Health (MOH), BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre (BCWs) is offering the Safe Methods at the Right Time Program (the "Program") designed to reduce subsequent unintended pregnancies by providing highly effective contraception at no cost to women at the time of abortion. 

The Program is funded by the MOH as a pilot project. BCWs is responsible for the roll-out, coordination and evaluation of the program.  This pilot Program provides an opportunity to demonstrate the positive population health and system impacts in BC of providing highly effective contraception at no cost to women at the time of abortion. The ultimate goal of this project is to advance policies on improving access to contraception for all women in BC.

For the pilot project, participation will include patients who:

  • Are covered by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP); and 
  • Allow their information to be shared for Program evaluation purposes.

The Program applies to patients having surgical terminations of pregnancy only. 

Contraceptives funded through the Program are:

  1. Intrauterine contraceptives (IUCs): Mirena (hormone-releasing) or copper (non-hormonal)
  2. Hormonal contraceptives: 1 package of pills OR 1 shot of Depo-Provera
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SOURCE: Abortion & Contraception Resources ( )
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